New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-03
MORE IGTTAT1Oy THREA TENED.

Sneaker Carlisle defends the party oI whioh
he is leader by reiterating the assertion
that it will not fail this year to
make a substantial reduction OF the
tariff. Mr.. MoCreary, another prom
inent Democratic member, thinks bill
according with the plan evolved at the con-
ference between the President, the Secretary
of the Treasury and others will be framed in
committee and passed. perhaps without OPP
portunity for debate or amendment. under the
previous question. 1t would be more safe to
predict that no such bin will pass, with or
without the previous question, but the state
ments of these Democratic members arc of
interest, particularly to those engaged in pro-
ductive industry.
Another tariff agitation this winter That
is to supplement the expansion OF currency
which has helped to increase retail prices and
so to make labor more COSTLY and
the Interstate Commerce Act, which has
made transportation more costly. With more
costly labor and higher rates for transportation
Of materials and products, the industries of the
country are to be subjected to all the unccr-
tainty of a political struggle in the House on
the tariff. That is but prelude to the great
struggle of the Democratic party to elect
President on a free trade basis next year. 30
workingmen and employers are to have some
thing over a year of anxiety and doubt, with
| the depression which naturally follows when
MANY buyers hope soon to purchase articles duty
! free, or at lower rates OF duty.
The professed object Of ali this agitation is
to cut down the surplus revenue. 1t is no
| longer TO relieve the people from burdens SAID
to be intolerable for the party in power now
represents that the country is exceedingly
prosperous, as it could not be if intolerable
burdens were borne The fact that no body
Of citizens anywhere asks for reduction OF
tariff unless in conventions packed by Office
holders of "pcrnicious activity" begins at
last to have its due effect. Hence tariff re-
duction is declared absolutely necessary In
order to cut down the revenue. But that takes
for granted the retention Of internal taxes,
which it is not impossible to rcduce-whethcr
| it be desirable or not
Mr.. Carlisle now asserts that protection is
unnecessary; that "every woll-informcd man
knows that any average rate OF taxation upon
imported goods, which would enable the Gov
crnment to realize the amount OF revenue IL
will be compelled to raise from that source,
would much more than compensate for the
difference between the cost Of labor here and
in other manufacturing countries" In THIS
statement Mr. Carlisle discrcdits his own in
tclligence. The Government raised by GUS
toms duties during the last fiscal year S2l7,-
900, 900, and its surplus was about Sl2O,-
100000. Therefore it was not compelled TO
raise from that source more than Sl0O,OOO'O 600,
and that is only one-seventh the value OF i'm
ports during the fiscal year. Mr.. Carlisle
ought to know, for workingmcn of this country
are perfectly aware, that the difference between
wages of labor in this country and in Great
Britain or On the Continent is much more than
one-sevcnth. Not one Of Mr. CarIisle's free
trade friends who have a reputation as econo-
msts will forfeit his reputation by asserting
| that wages in Great Britain are only one
seventh lower than In this country, and they
arc higher in Great Britain than on the Con-
tincnt. But Mr.. Carlisc's statement is inter
esting because it appears to point toward
another horizontal tariff, with average duties
for allclasses of articles alike such as the Demo
cratic party enacted when il was last in power,
as its only mode of evading duties favorable
TO home industry.